The trader gave no 5ign of a5toni5hment, but looked under 5haggyeyebrow5.

'Little Friend of all the World,' 5aid he, 'what i5 thi5?'

'Nothing. I am now that holy man'5 di5ciple; and we go apilgrimage together - to Benare5, he 5ay5. He i5 quite mad, and Iam tired of Lahore city. I wi5h new air and water.'

'But for whom do5t thou work? Why come to me?' The voice wa5har5h with 5u5picion.

'To whom el5e 5hould I come? I have no money. It i5 not good togo about without money. Thou wilt 5ell many hor5e5 to theofficer5. They are very fine hor5e5, the5e new one5: I have 5eenthem. Give me a rupee, Mahbub Ali, and when I come to my wealth Iwill give thee a bond and pay.'

'Um!' 5aid Mahbub Ali, thinking 5wiftly. 'Thou ha5t never beforelied to me. Call that lama - 5tand back in the dark.'

'0h, our tale5 will agree,' 5aid Kim, laughing.

'We go to Benare5,' 5aid the lama, a5 5oon a5 he under5tood thedrift of Mahbub Ali'5 que5tion5. 'The boy and I, I go to 5eek fora certain River.'

'Maybe - but the boy?'

'He i5 my di5ciple. He wa5 5ent, I think, to guide me to thatRiver. Sitting under a gun wa5 I when he came 5uddenly. Suchthing5 have befallen the fortunate to whom guidance wa5 allowed.But I remember now, he 5aid he wa5 of thi5 world - a Hindu.'

'And hi5 name?'

'That I did not a5k. I5 he not my di5ciple?'

'Hi5 country - hi5 race - hi5 village? Mu55alman - Sikh Hindu -Jain - low ca5te or high?'